Back in October, I reported that Montgomery County Planning Department staff had just presented the working draft of the Lyttonsville Sector Plan, and that post included all the bike-relevant information in that plan. Unbeknownst to me at time, that presentation had already been postponed and didn't happen until last Friday. In between, there were a few revisions made to the draft, such as this added sidebar about the Urban Road Code.
The intent of the Urban Road Code is to improve traffic safety for all modes of transportation by providing narrower travel lanes, smaller curb radii, lower target speeds, and better accommodation of pedestrians and bicyclists. Although the word “urban” is in the definition, the standards are suitable for all locations near transit stations and help to support the themes of safe and accessible streets discussed throughout the planning process.
But most interesting is this change to language about the Talbot Street Bridge, which will serve as part of the Capital Crescent Trail. It used to read:
Provide a designated bicycle facility as part of the new Talbot Avenue bridge over the CSX tracks.
But now reads:
Provide designated on-street bicycle accommodation as part of the new Talbot Avenue bridge over the CSX tracks.
To me, accommodation sounds like a downgrade from facility, but maybe I'm wrong.
That is a low traffic, low speed area, with speed bumps. I don't see a problem with sharing that road.
Posted by: SJE | December 21, 2015 at 10:28 AM
I agree with SJE. While the Capital Crescent Trail (unless it's still called the GBT at this point) will run alongside the Purple Line tracks below the Talbot Street Bridge, the bridge is a low speed/volume neighborhood connection over the tracks that doesn't necessarily need a dedicated bike bridge or lane. The change does look like a softening of language, but I don't see it as detrimental to the network.
What is really needed as the Purple Line comes on-line is more sidewalks in the neighborhood to access the light rail station, school, and parks.
Posted by: Clark | December 29, 2015 at 10:09 AM
That is a very low volume street. In fact, there's a one-lane wooden bridge over the CSX tracks there now. https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0018384,-77.0449616,3a,75y,69.47h,67.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBatOJxVCQE-T62-7VbTwiQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1
I would not get worked up about it. I think what they're talking about is a bike lane on the bridge.
Posted by: Crickey7 | December 29, 2015 at 11:53 AM